BMI Honors “Live Like You Were Dying” and Charlie Daniels

“Live Like You Were Dying” continues to thrive, capturing song of the year honors at the BMI Country Awards held Tuesday night (Oct. 18) at BMI’s Music Row offices in Nashville. The annual black-tie ceremony honors the artists, publishers and writers of the 50 most-played songs in BMI’s repertoire. BMI is a performing rights organization that represents more than 300,000 songwriters, composers and publishers in all genres of music.

Songwriter Tim Nichols accepted the song of the year award, the latest in a string of trophies for the Tim McGraw smash, including a Grammy, CMA, ACM, Billboard, NSAI and CMT award. (His writing partner, Craig Wiseman, is affiliated with ASCAP, another performing rights organization that held its party the night before.)

However, a well-scrubbed and beaming Charlie Daniels was clearly the man of the hour as Travis Tritt and Montgomery Gentry saluted him as a BMI Icon, a prestigious award given annually to a legendary artist represented by BMI.

BMI CEO Del Bryant introduced Daniels as “a man who speaks his mind” and “the epitome of the American individual.” He added, “Charlie Daniels has left an indelible mark on American music … because of his lifelong pursuit of an artistic vision that has been both innovative and respectful of tradition.”

Following a short film praising Daniels’ accomplishments and character, Tritt offered a solo rendition of “Long Haired Country Boy,” leaving no doubt vocally that he’s a son of the South, as well. Another video montage followed of Daniels with a variety of his famous friends. For a final musical salute, Montgomery Gentry dedicated “Drinkin’ My Baby Goodbye” to their hero.

After Daniels stepped on stage to rousing applause from the audience, Bryant quipped, “I believe you might want to say something. I’ve never seen you at a loss for words.”

Surprisingly, Daniels did seem overwhelmed by the moment. “I started to say I come with hat in hand, but I forgot my hat,” he began. He then gently thanked the BMI team, Tritt and Montgomery Gentry, his family, his “beloved and wonderful” wife, Hazel, and son, Charlie. “I cannot tell you how deeply honored I am tonight to be here,” he noted.

Harley Allen, Big & Rich’s Big Kenny and Lonestar’s Richie McDonald tied for BMI songwriter of the year honors. Allen’s recent credits include Darryl Worley’s “Awful, Beautiful Life,” Joe Nichols’ “If Nobody Believed in You” and Dierks Bentley’s “My Last Name.” McDonald co-wrote Billy Dean’s “Let Them Be Little” and Lonestar’s “Mr. Mom” and “Let’s Be Us Again.” Neither gave an acceptance speech, but Big Kenny (currently touring on the West Coast) sent in a thank-you tape to say, “I love everybody in Nashville. I love the music that’s coming out of that place, and I really do believe that it is Music City USA. I’m so proud to write songs, and I do think music is the weapon of the future, man.”

Big Kenny co-wrote Big & Rich’s “Holy Water” and “Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy)” and Gretchen Wilson’s “Here for the Party.” (Co-writers John Rich and Wilson are represented by ASCAP.) Big Kenny’s very pregnant wife — carrying “Little Kenny,” as Bryant quipped more than once — accepted his awards on his behalf.

With 15 songs on the list, Sony/ATV Music Publishing Nashville nabbed its fourth consecutive publisher of the year award, accumulating the highest percentage of copyright ownership in awarded songs. One of the company’s songs, “Whiskey Lullaby,” earned songwriter Bill Anderson an impromptu standing ovation.

Naturally, the wine flowed throughout the evening and celebrities could easily be spotted. Sometimes they accepted the award with the writers; others came to cheer on the abundance of writers. In fact, it seemed everybody in attendance graced the stage at least once. (Some songs had as many as a dozen people clamoring for a photo op.)

And you couldn’t turn a corner without bumping into an established songwriter, including Matraca Berg, Ronnie Bowman, Don Cook, Bob DiPiero, Scotty Emerick, Marcus Hummon, Terry McBride, Paul Overstreet, Bruce Robison, Leslie Satcher, Tom Shapiro, John Scott Sherrill, Jeffrey Steele, Keith Stegall and Monte Warden. Countless members of the industry crowded around more than 100 tables for an elegant dinner. With the ornate and elaborate decorations surrounding the gathering, you’d never guess the space is usually part of BMI’s parking garage.

A reception in the lobby followed the formal announcements, with Harold Bradley leading a top-notch band playing country classics like “You Don’t Know Me” and “All I Have to Do is Dream” Except for a temporary hush when Mandy Barnett knocked out a killer rendition of Roy Orbison’s “Crying,” the room pretty much stayed abuzz with good wishes, cheek-kissing and — last but certainly not least — eight tables of bite-sized desserts, making it a perfect time indeed to live like you were dying.